Metasonix

Metasonix design and sell modular synthesizer modules using vacuum tube signal paths. The module designs are by Eric Barbour, who was an applications engineer at Svetlana Electron Devices for several years, and is well known as a tube expert from his extensive writings in VACUUM TUBE VALLEY, GLASS AUDIO, and engineering publications such as IEEE SPECTRUM.



'''METASONIX 495 N. Main Street, PMB 109 Lakeport CA 95453 USA (707) 263-5343'''

1999:
PT-1 Phattytron

Monophonic rackmount vacuum tube synthesizer. Used single VCO with 2D21 thyratron, EF86 twin-t filter, EF86 VCA, and special MIDI interface which generated a CV which could be adjusted for each step independently with a row of internal trimpots. 2U EIA rack cabinet. There were four simple "presets" that affected only the VCO and VCF modulation; the current of four presets was displayed by a single Nixie tube. Original retail price $2400. Only seven pieces made.

2000:
TS-21 Hellfire Modulator

Rackmount processor. Completely made of vacuum tubes--no semiconductors at all. 5 tubes. Pentode preamp, 6AR8/JH8/ME8 sheet-beam modulator tube, and pulse injector waveshaper made of a tube monostable multivibrator, with a tube LFO causing the output to switch between the two sheet-beam tube's plates for a stereo effect. Entirely hand-wired on a custom-made turret board. 6AL5 used as plate-voltage rectifier to make 150v at 5 mA. 2U rackmount cabinet. 32 pieces made from 2000 to 2002. Original retail price $799. [Schematic here]. [Photo.]

TS-22 Tube Filterbank

Rackmount processor. Completely made of vacuum tubes--no semiconductors at all, except in the CV filter sweep circuit. Six tubes. Four pentodes in twin-t circuit, each one octave higher than the previous, plus a fifth pentode serving as a simple VCA. Entirely hand-wired on a custom-made turret board. 6AL5 used as plate-voltage rectifier to make 150v at 5 mA. 2U rackmount cabinet. 20 pieces made from 2000 to 2002. Original retail price $999. [Schematic here]. [Photo.]

TS-23 Dual Thyratron VCO

Rackmount processor. Completely made of vacuum tubes--no semiconductors at all, except in the pitch-control CV circuit. Four tubes total. Two independently tunable 2D21 VCOs, linked together at input, outputs mixed and fed to a clipper made of a 6BN6 beam-modulator. Entirely hand-wired on a custom-made turret board. 6AL5 used as plate-voltage rectifier to make 150v at 5 mA. 2U rackmount cabinet. 12 pieces made from 2000 to 2002. Original retail price $899. [Schematic here]. [Photo.]

PT-2 Tubestation

Monophonic rackmount vacuum tube synthesizer. Used single VCO with 2D21 thyratron, EF86 twin-t filter, EF86 VCA. Minimized version of PT-1, without the MIDI interface (accepts Hz/V CV from a Kenton or other MIDI/CV interface instead). 2U EIA rack cabinet. Original retail price $950. Only 13 pieces made. Some were in a "partial kit" form. [Photo.]

2001:
TM-1 Waveshaper-Ringmod

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Basic circuit of TS-21 boiled down to simplest form possible, using 3 tubes: 6CB6/6EA5, 6AR8/JH8/ME8, and 6BQ7. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $349. First ~100 pieces painted antique gold, remainder in yellow. Total production 253 pieces, 2001-2008, including a limited special version for Big City Music, with a range switch for the oscillator and stereo output. [Photo.]

TM-4 stereo power amp

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Simple single-ended amp, each channel consisted of one 6BM8/ECL82. Miniature output transformer from Antique Electronic Supply (now discontinued). Produced 0.5 watts/channel. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $349. Total production 49 pieces, 2001-2002. Difficulties with heat buildup in cabinet. [Photo.]

2002:
TM-2 Dual Filter/VCA

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Basic circuit of TS-22 boiled down to simplest form possible, two twin-t filters spaced 2 octaves apart feeding a simple VCA, using 3 6EA5/CB6 pentode tubes. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $349. First ~60 pieces painted antique gold, remainder in yellow. Total production 142 pieces, 2002-2008. [Photo.]

2003:
TM-3 Dual Thyratron VCO

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Basic circuit of TS-23 boiled down to simplest form possible, two 2D21 thyratron VCOs in Hz/v form plus a suboctave divider made of neon lamps. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $349. First ~30 pieces painted antique gold, remainder in yellow. Total production 101 pieces, 2003-2008. [Photo.]

TM-5 Instrument Preamp

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Guitar/instrument preamp with gain of 50+ dB. Uses two 6AU6 for gain and one 6BN6/4BN6 for switchable clipping distortion. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $349. First ~25 pieces painted antique gold, remainder in yellow. Total production 84 pieces, 2003-2008. [Photo.]

2004:
TX-1 Agonizer

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Unique distortion circuit based on 12AF6/12AU6 pentode preamp, driving special circuit made from a 13Z10 pentode/beam modulator tube. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $449. Two production runs, first 25 in a sparkle-finish paint, remainder in "Honda Yellow" paint and with a bass-cut switch added. Total production 125 pieces, 2004. [Photo.]

2005:
TX-2 Butt Probe

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Unique distortion circuit based on three 3BN6 or 4BN6 beam-modulator tubes, used as gain stages and having a feedback loop for complex distortion effects. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $449. Painted "Honda Yellow" smeared with brown and red paint, with unique messages/insults handwritten on each unit. Total production 100 pieces, 2005. [Photo.]

TM-6 Multimode Filter

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Modified version of TM-2, with added panpot to select bass filter, treble filter (with switchable range), or both at once, and with VCA removed. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $429. Total production 82 pieces, 2005-2008. [Photo.]

2006:
S-1000 Wretch Machine monophonic synthesizer

Rackmount 6U-high synthesizer. Two thyratron VCOs similar to TM-3 circuit with suboctave and added range switching and squarer circuits, waveshaper roughly based on TM-1 circuit but with a 6BN6 instead of a sheet-beam modulator, multimode filter similar to TM-6 with added bass range, VCA, two envelopes (one AR and one AD), two LFOs, 6AL7 eye tube to display LFO and trigger status, and two modulation matrix mixers with three sources and six outputs apiece. Built-in miniature joystick allows pitch bend, filter sweep, and trigger by pressing inwards. Output is 600-ohm transformer balanced. Original retail price $2399. 77 pieces sold to date, 2006-2011. [Photo.]

2007:
TM-7 Scrotum Smasher

Large "effect pedal" styled module, 7.4 x 4.7 x 3", cast aluminum cabinet. Unique distortion circuit based on two 6CB6 pentodes, used as gain stages, with a switchable feedback loop for extreme distortion and a switchable 6BN6 tube for clipping distortion. Runs on 12 volts AC at 1.5 amps. Original retail price $499. Total production 100 pieces, 2007. [Photo.]

2008:
R51 VCA/distortion

Euro-rack standard module, 22HP wide, less than 25mm deep behind panel. Uses two 26A6 (early version) or 12AD6 pentodes.

R52 multimode filter

Euro-rack standard module, 22HP wide, less than 25mm deep behind panel. Uses two 12AW6 pentodes.

R53 waveshaper/ringmod

Euro-rack standard module, 22HP wide, less than 25mm deep behind panel. Uses 12AD6/12BF6 pentode and 12AV7/5965 dual triode.

G-1000 "Fucking Fucker" guitar amp

Large amplifier head (Marshall style). Two separate amplifiers with different preamp sections, spring reverb, and output stages using four 6BK5 pentodes per side. Total 23 tubes, none of types commonly seen in guitar amps. Original retail price $5000. One prototype in black tolex given to Big City Music, plus total production of 10 units for sale in yellow tolex. [Photo.]

2009:
KV-100 Assblaster processor

Guitar/instrument processor built into ABS toolbox. Uses two 6AK5s as preamps, one 6BQ7/BS8 as pulser (derived from TM-1 circuit), one 5696 or 5663 thyratron used as an effect VCO, and one 6GH8 as a sweepable bandpass filter, plus built-in enveloped follower and noise gate. Original retail price $799. [Photo.]

2010:
D-1000 tube drum machine

First drum machine in 50 years to use tube electronics. Four drum sounds, three tunable drums (using ringing filters) and one gated noise "cymbal" circuit. Simple built-in sequencer has one measure of 8 beats, programmed with toggle switches. Uses four 6CQ8 or 6GH8 tubes. Power is 12 volts AC only (NOT DC), 1.5 amps. See [here] for further information on use.

R-54 "Supermodule"

May be used as a sweepable bandpass filter or as a VCO. Controlled with a VTL5C3/2 Vactrol. Euro-rack standard module, 22HP wide, less than 25mm deep behind panel. Uses 19KG8 triode/pentode and 6AK5 pentode.

R-60 self-tuning MIDI/CV converter module

Euro standard module, 8HP wide, less than 25mm deep behind panel. Needs +5v power as well as +12v and -12v.